Factors
to consider in selecting or designing a route:The
Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness provides the finest wilderness canoeing
opportunities in the United States, if not the world. The Boundary Waters
are wonderful in any dose, but with an area of nearly 1.3 million acres,
and 1,500 miles of canoe routes, even the most ambitious canoeist can
find a lifetime of beauty, relaxation, and challenges. Whether you are
merely paddling in for a day from one of the Forest Service group campgrounds,
or planning a three week trip along the border and down the Grand Portage,
you are in for a wonderful adventure.

Every group traveling
to the Boundary Waters has different skills and objectives. Some people
like to cover as many miles as possible, while others would just as soon
stop at the first campsite they find and set up camp for five days. The
objective of this book is to facilitate and enrich the travels of all
types of visitors. All routes are described with regard to total miles
and total length of portages. I conservatively estimate that a group of
canoeists to the Boundary Waters will be able to comfortably travel between
6 and 9 miles during a typical day.

Having said that,
the number of miles any individual group can travel is widely variable.
Fit groups who want to cover a lot of miles can sometimes cover 20 miles
in a good day, while other groups might struggle to do 5. In an effort
to assist you in planning your visits, the following five factors are
identified as the biggest modifiers of trip difficulty, travel times,
and travel distances: portages, gear, weather, ability, and attitude.
Keep these considerations in mind as you review routes or design your
own.

Factor
No. 1: PortagesThe
biggest variable in the distance visitors can cover in one day is the
number and length of portages. For the unacquainted, a portage is the
traditional Voyageur term for an overland trail connecting two bodies
of water. Portages are still measured in terms of "rods", one
rod corresponding to 16.5 feet or 5 meters. There are 320 rods per mile.
To convert portages into miles, multiply the number of rods by .0031.
To convert portages to kilometers, multiply the number of rods by .005

A typical canoe party
will travel about two miles an hour on smooth water with no head wind.
Once you factor in the unloading, carrying, and reloading of gear, that
same party is likely to travel just a half-mile an hour on portages (taking
a half hour to cover a 160 rod portage).

The most important
thing to realize about portages is that they are not created equal. Length,
trail conditions, changes in elevation, and landing characteristics all
make a big difference in portage difficulty. Some long portages are easy,
some short portages are nearly impassible. In order to assist trip planners,
Exploring the Boundary Waters by Daniel Pauly ranks most portages on a
portage scale of 1 to 10. The most difficult, long portages are given
a high difficulty rating number (L10), while the easiest, shortest portages
are given a low difficulty rating number (L1). Some portages do not have
such rankings, typically because they are of average difficulty for their
length.

In addition to length
and difficulty of a portage, the number of portages is a major factor
in route difficulty. Three short portages is typically far more work and
will take much more time than one long portage of the same total length.
The increased difficulty arises because of the energy and time required
to land, unload and reload your canoe. For this reason, this guide has
been prepared assuming that a group can comfortably cover from 4 to 7
average 50 rod portages in a given day, and that all but the easiest portages
require a minimum of 15 minutes to completely cross.

Factor
Number 2: Amount of GearThe
amount of gear you bring with you is the second critical factor determining
how much distance you can cover on a Boundary Waters trip. The biggest
way to increase the miles you can explore is to travel light enough to
do all of your portages in a single trip. If the people in each canoe
in your party can carry all of their gear and their canoe across a portage
in one trip, you will cut your portage distances by two thirds because
you only have to cover each portage once from start to finish, rather
than three times as you go from start to finish, back to start, and then
over to the finish again.

The key to traveling
light is traveling smart. If you want to be mobile, bring only what you
need to be safe and reasonably comfortable: a good lightweight tent, compact
sleeping bags, mostly dry foods, a small stove, etc. A complete list of
recommended gear is provided in this guide and downloadable at www.BoundaryWatersGuide.com.
Pack like you are going backpacking rather than car camping. If you are
bringing a stove, which you should, make it a backpacking model not the
two-burner suitcase style. If you want a chair, sit on a log or bring
a lightweight collapsible chair that utilizes your sleeping pad. If you
travel in this manner the portages will be much, much easier. There is
nothing wrong with bringing along a larger stove, chair, roll-up table,
etc. But just remember that every ounce of gear in your canoe has to go
down every portage. That 15 pound cot can quickly transform from your
pride and joy to the bane of your existence.

Factor
Number 3: WeatherAnother
important factor in determining travel is the weather, in particular strong
headwinds and rain. The larger lakes in the Boundary Waters are mostly
west-east oriented, which makes them perfectly situated to develop large
rolling waves on days when the wind is howling out of the west. Such popular
large lakes as Brule, Gunflint, Pine, and Saganaga can become all but
impassable to canoe traffic in the afternoon (or any other windy period).
You should keep this in mind and allow yourself adequate time to travel
large lakes. On most days the wind does not really pick up until after
noon. Cool morning hours before the sun has significantly heated the atmosphere
are prime travel times on the big lakes of the Boundary Waters.

The other weather
condition that can wreak havoc on trip planning is rain. Naturally it
can rain any time on a trip to the Boundary Waters. If you are prepared,
it really shouldn't have any impact on your travels. If you are not prepared,
you are likely to lose an entire day of travel as you sort through wet
pancake boxes and try to dry out your clothes, or puzzle over how synthetic
sleeping bags can mildew. You have a lot of control over how you handle
rain in the Boundary Waters. Come prepared and rain can be another way
of experiencing the rich and varied beauty of the north woods.

Many experienced campers
make the best of rain and use it as their time to travel. Canoeing to
your next destination during rain maximizes the chance you will be able
to enjoy drier weather in camp when it returns. If you are well prepared
rain won't slow you down, and is a lot better than cowering under a tarp
back at camp. Of course, never travel during thunderstorms or when thunderstorms
even threaten. Any time you can hear thunder or see lightning you must
immediately leave the lake, even if it appears to be miles away or is
confined to the upper atmosphere. Lightning strikes have killed BWCAW
visitors in the past, so use utmost caution.

Factor
Number 4: Ability and AttitudeThe
final travel factors that I have seen impact significantly impact canoeists
are their ability and attitude. The Boundary Waters continues to draw
young and old of every experience level and physical condition. With good
communication, planning, and teamwork, anyone can enjoy a canoe trip in
the Boundary Waters. However, the type of trip you take and the distance
you cover is still closely related to your experience level, strength,
and stamina. If your group includes inexperienced campers, consider making
modest travel plans, such as spending five or six days to cover a route
normally estimated to take 3 or 4 days. Also, look for routes that are
easily modified to make them longer or shorter depending upon how your
trip is going. The labyrinth of lakes and portages that make up the Boundary
Waters allow you to plan a couple of possible routes that start and end
at the same location.

Over the years I've
talked to numerous people whose first trip into the BWCAW was with seasoned
travelers who planned an aggressive route, not taking into account how
much of a mental and physical challenge it would be for the first time
visitors. The first-timers are often not prepared for the hard struggle,
and I think much less likely to again attempt wilderness travel. Introduce
people to the BWCAW with a moderate trip so they come back hungry to return.

Perhaps even more
important than ability is attitude. The Boundary Waters is rough, wild
country. You are not staying at the Holiday Inn: the mosquitoes can be
overwhelming, the wind biting cold, and the ground rock hard. Come ready
for a challenge, and you will leave satisfied.